About | Bushel Barns

Meet the Trainer

Though she grew up riding and showing in traditional lesson programs, Laura was set on her true horsemanship journey by her first horse, a mini called Ace, who came to her with an impressive list of behavioral issues. Ace sent Laura on a journey to learn as much as she could from as many as she could. As her understanding of horses grew, so did her success and harmony with them, which led to opportunities to work with others and their horses. As a young adult, Laura spent six months as an intern on a Colorado ranch under the supervision of a Parelli Professional. Laura continued her passion and horse training in NC, opening Bushel Barns as a boarding facility in 2014 and a training facility in 2020. Laura was a TIP trainer with the Mustang Heritage Foundation, is enrolled in a hoof trimming course and continues to attend every clinic and lesson opportunity she can find. She also has aspirations to gain her Centered Riding Certification.

In her free time, she enjoys participating in endurance rides with her Arabian mare, Bella, and trail riding throughout North Carolina. Passionate about environmental science as well, Laura taught the subject as a 9th grade teacher for three years after graduation from NC State University with a degree in conservation biology.

Meet the Team

Abby Martin

Abby’s horse journey began with an equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP) course in college taught by Shannon Knapp that led to a ten week internship at Horse Sense of the Carolinas in 2019. There she learned the basics of Parelli and natural horsemanship. Since then, she has earned her foundations in Natural Lifemanship, spent a year working at a local performance barn, and has also been interning under Laura’s guidance since February 2023. Her continuous goal is to expand on natural horsemanship skills and knowledge. Abby is the owner of Dally, a red dun paso fino type that came to her with various emotional and physical issues. Also “My Riverside Valentine” (AKA Valentino), a 2022 AWSSR registered chestnut American Warmblood. She has been property manager and boarder at Bushel Barns since 2022.

Audrey Jensen

Audrey has been riding horses since the age of 7 and her interest was piqued in the training side of horse management by Carrino, her OTTB that really took to natural horsemanship training. She has also been bringing along a young Connemara mare, Tia, from unstarted to successfully competing at horse trials. She does eventing with both horses and is also a nationally rated HB Pony Club member. She loves getting to watch the horses that come through Bushel Barns progress over time and learn new things in a positive manner. Audrey is a junior in high school at Reagan and has been working at Bushel Barns since 2020.